Blizzard says it will take approximately 100 Overwatch 2 matches for new players to unlock all original heroes

A new blog post from Blizzard has revealed just how long it will take for newcomers to the series to unlock all of the first game’s original characters in the upcoming Overwatch 2. Blizzard says that feedback has indicated new players can feel “overwhelmed” by the amount of characters available at the start of the game. In order to help combat this feeling, they’re introducing a more gradual rollout of features for anyone creating a new account in Overwatch 2. This includes the slow attainment of the playable heroes from the first Overwatch, which will take approximately 100 matches.

This new unlock method is part of what Blizzard is calling their “First Time User Experience”, or FTUE. In addition to the unlockable characters, Competitive Mode will be locked for newcomers as well, and not be available until after 50 Quick Play matches are completed. In-game voice chat will also need to be unlocked after a set number of matches.

These changes will go into effect for anyone creating a new account after October 4, 2022 (the same date of Overwatch 2’s release). Blizzard believes that these changes will result in a smoother, more enjoyable experience for new players, easing them into the game without overwhelming them. We’ll find out if that’s the case when the game becomes available next week.